Harvester thresher



April 2, 1935.

' E. A. JOHNSTON El AL HARVESTER THRESHER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 52067150715. ,OWZm

Original Filed Aug. 5, 1929 April 2, 1935. 52 A, JOHNSTON ET AL 1,996,246

HARVESTER THRESHER Original Filed Aug. 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y; Mil/7.2.71? -16 ,5 j J?@ April 2, 1935. E A JOHNSTON ET AL 1,996,246

HARVESTER THRESHER Original Filed Aug. 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet, 4

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may Zia (Z April 2, 1935. A, JOHNSTON Er AL 1,996,246

' HARVESTER THRESHER Original Filed Aug 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 an upstanding arm 3|.

' vester support associated with the counter-balancing mechanism; and,

Figure 10 is a detail, sectional view along line l0-l 0, looking with the arrows appearing in Figure 9, and showing a guide bracket for the counter-balance springs.

The harvester thresher chosen for purposes of illustration embodies, as best shown in Figure 2, a transversely disposed, non-rotatable axle l5, carried in a main wheel I6 and an intermediate wheel l1. Said axle, in any approved manner, carries the thresher part of the machine, which part comprises a. frame l8 and separator 19, with a feeder house located in the usual way in ad- -vance t hereof. See also Figure 1.

The axle I5 is projected through the intermediate wheel I! and at its free end carries fast thereon a cap 2| including a vertical hinge pin 22. Said pin 22 is connected to a horizontal hinge pin 23 carried by a cap piece 24 secured to an extension axle piece 25 of short length and dead in the sense that it, like the axle I5, does not rotate on its axis. The pins 22, 23 thus form a two-way hinge for a purpose presently to appear.

The piece 25 may in practice be a tube, as best appears in Figure 8, which has telescoped thereinto and made fast thereto by rivets or bolts 26,

a normally transversely extending torque tube 21 comprising a non-rotatable harvester axle support, as later appears. Between the piece 25 and tube 21 is made fast a short sleeve 28 including a fixed, upwardly and rearwardly extending bracket 29 having formed thereon a cam surface 30 and The opposite, or grainward end of the torque tube has similarly made fast thereto, a forwardly extending bracket 32 having its front end curved slightly out in a grainward direction and provided with a vertical hinge pin 33. See also Figure 7. The bracket 32, as shown in Figure 8, includes a hub 34 also secured to the tube 21, and fast on said hub is an upstanding arm 35. See Figure 9.

It will be noted at the stubbleward end of the tube 21 that the part 28 includes a short,grainwardly extended bearing portion, and at the grainward end of the tube, that the hub 34 is slightly projected stubblewardly to form another bearing portion. These two bearing portions carry for turning movement about the axis of the tube 21, an elongated sleeve support 36 which has made fastthereto at each opposite end, a forwardly extending line bracket 31.

These brackets 31 constitute a part of the structure for supporting a harvester platform, as will next be described.

The stubbleward bracket 31 has rigidly secured thereto a forwardly extending line lever or bar 38, while the grainward bracket 37, which is of channel form, pivotally carries a line lever or bar 39. Such mounting is standard in the art and involves a set screw 39' (see Figure 3) to adjust said line lever togtake up sagging that may occur at the grainward end of the platform which is supported by 'said line levers, as will now be explained. As'best shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, each line lever 38,39 has pivotally connected to it an angular frame piece 40, there being two such pieces. At the angle in said pieces is arranged the rear, transverse angle bar 4| and, at the front, the pieces carry' the usual transverse platform Z-bar 42. The platform appears at 43. Such platform, it will be understood, includes the usual conveyor'and cutting mechanism which have not been shown. The platform structure also involves the uprights 44 for mounting a backboard 45.

Pivotally connected between the arm 3| and an upright 44 is an adjustable line link 46 disposed above the line lever 38 and substantially parallel therewith. Similarly the line lever 39 has arranged thereabove, a line link 4'! (see Figures 3 and '7), which link is pivotally connected between the arm and an upright 44. e

The platform conveyor moves the gathered material to a spout 48 indicated generally in dotted lines in Figure 1, said spout preferably being a part of the platform structure and loosely or removably inserted into an open side of the feeder housing 2!! to discharge the grain thereinto as is well understood in this art.

The platform, in its normal cutting position, must, of course, be adjustable up and down to regulate the height of cut. Accordingly, an operators bridge or deck 49, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, and in full lines in Figure 3, is provided, said deck mounting, in any conventional way, a tiller wheel, or similar device, not shown, for pulling up or pushing down on a vertically arranged link 50 (see Figiue 1), which in turn is releasably connected to an arm 5| extending back from the stubbleward end of the platform structure. In this manner, the platform and with it the cutting apparatus is raised andlowered.

The great weight of the platform makes it necessary to provide a counter-balancing mechanism to make such adjustments of the platform easy. As the platform is foldable for transport, it is desirable that such counter-balancing mechanism be of a kind that need not be disturbed when effecting such folding operation.

Therefore, springs are used and form a self-contained integral part of the harvester which always remains in place, and not requiring disconnection.

For this purpose, a bracket 52 (see Figure 9) is connected to the grainward end of the sleeve support 36. The bracket carries a bolt 53 threadedly connected to a header 54, which carries one end of a battery of springs 55 parallel with and underneath the harvester support, as shown in the drawings. end are carried by another header member 56 having portions 5'! (see Figure 10) to slidingly engage the sleeve 36 in the manner shown.

Pivotally connected to the header 56 is a transverse link 58 which has its stubbleward end connected to a flexible element, such as a chain 59, that is trained around a substantially horizontally disposed, idler sprocket wheel 60 (see also Figure 6) carried loose on a vertical pin 6! arranged in the bracket 3! heretofore described. The chain 59 then runs forwardly, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and upwardly around a vertically running idler sprocket wheel 62 carried on a horizontal pin 63 arranged in a bracket 64 carried near the forward end of the line lever 38. Thence, the chain runs back again above the line lever 38 and over the cam 39 heretofore described, the end of the chain being anchored at 65 to the rear end of said cam. See Figures 6 and 9. A cross-brace 66 extends from the bracket 64 to another bracket 51 bolted over the sleeve 35.

A diagonally disposed brace 68 is removably connected between an extension of the thresher frame and an eye 69 at the back end of the arm 0a. maintain the harvester in its normal, transverse cutting position, as shown best in Figure 1.

Looking especially to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7, it is to be noted that a special form of combined grain and caster wheel structure is provided.

The springs at their stubbleward This brace functions in the usual way to I structure: includes an. arm 1m havingxa forward, bifurcated end connectedifor pivotal move aboutthepimati. Nonnally; the: arm HI-extendsiback cl'oselyalongsideithezbraoket323 said bracket om its: under side? piivotally carries a boltt latch; H (see-Figure; 3) which: is adapted t'o fitbetween: thellegs off a depending. fork; T2: and

be: lockedzthereto; .to hold: theibracket' and arm bolts: 18-; 19: Further, the arnr 'lflicarries upistanding? lugx 8 In transverse cutting position of: the harvester support, the wheel: H5: is fixe'dfor' only" turning movement, by which ismeant that thesame does not caster. such position" appears-in. Figure 7:, it being; understood: that the twemembers 32; 10 are: latched together and: that. the: lug? 8!]? is. in the space between the bolt 19 and therbight: portionof 171185131606? M; which" causes the wheel. to turn' in' a vertical plane. v

However; when the support ;.2'lris to-be foldiedback for. transporuthe arm lo freed'from the bracket .32 by uncoupling the latch:,bolt: H and removing the pin 19 which permits the user to-hinge:the-wheel l6: outwardly about thepi'n'or hinge 13! .to' the tilted position: of? Figure'S, in which said wheel will best function as a trailing, castering wheel; Infolding the-harvester suppoltback, as shown inFigure 2-, it is necessary"to-remove-thebrace-68. After the support has been folded; another brace 8| is employed to-hold the support iIlrDlflCB; simiilarly, a link 82- isemployed: between the framework of the deck 49: and the platfomn further: to brace the structure during transport.

In operation the harvester support comprising the parts 25; 2:1 and 3'6 are a unit disposed. in transverse position for cutting, as appears in- Fig:- ure 1. The spout: 48- is inserted into the feeder house 211 and the grain gathered by the platform is fed thereinto and: thencethrough the: separator H! for threshing. In this position the grain wheel 'HS- is held, as shown in Figured, for turn:- ing movement only, In. other words, it does not now" caster.- Bymeans of the parts-50*; 54-, an operator on the deck 49 may raise or lower." the platform to adjust the height-of cut.- The? comrter-balance springs-55exert a force to-make such adjustments easy of. accomplishment by counter-- balancing the weight of the platform, and: such parts asthe'spout and reel carried thereby; During such adjusting. movements. the platformis caused toremain substantiallyhorizontal because of. the: links 4-6, 41 arranged in parallel with-the respective line levers 38; 38.. llt is also of interest to note that the pull: of the springsjS will be substantially uniform inall positions which the platform assumes because of the compensati-ng effect of. the cam 30.

, When the platform is-so adjusted, the sleeve 36 turns about the. dead axle'supportll Saidsupport, because. of. the horizontal hingepin- 2-3; is capable of floating. when the harvester parttravels over slopingground.

The structure of the invention however, hasiits main: advantage arising. from the facili-tvw-ith which the machine can be. narrowed for trans port, This is accomplished by folding the support and with it. the harvester platform. Upon removal of the diagonal brace 68, the whole harall.

vester: part can; be swung around pivot; 22 fromithe positionrshown'. in Eigures litoi the posishown: figure-2 Eirstg. the; brace 68: is

removed. Then the grain wheel is freeditfor casteningi-movementbyunlatchingthe latch-bolt Mi, andzia'l'so .tiltedito the position: shown imEig ure: Elih-theamanner already-described: The: pant Eflzisadisconnected nexti'fromi-thezarm ql'nh. Thus, the entire harvester: part. is; freed for folding movement, the partsrllillilr", .ilizmovi'ng' throughia horizontal. plane town-arrow. the? hanvestenthreshiform, the springs fifuat the'sametimezexertingza lifting force-e to; raise theiplatfprmto; aa position, 7

as: ShOWIli in Figure; 3;. affording a. very desirable additionals. clearance: with. respect to grounds Ob!- structions; The springsfii arezpreferably' "sionedz that; they: are; effective: tO'i raise: the: plate form to tits elevatedi clearance position abiovcrcut:

ting range at; the same: time that the support, is

being: swung, back, horizontally, The platfo m Bhez. operator: then. pushesiup: om the jplatl may swing up in this fashion becausethez'line levers'with the sleeve-36 mavrturn about thedead axle support. 25h Further; the: pivotal mounting of. theplatform on: the: free ends: of these; .line:- le

vers, andtheprwision:v ofthe line; links 46; 4 parallel: with the said line leyersrca-uses the plat;- form to: remain horizontally disposedi during; and after the-folding operation; Asthespout 4B ,is-a part of the platform and is only loosely inserted into the feed house 21bit pullsoutv and folds back andvup'withtheplatformi. The reel,.not shown,

will: remain; on the platform even when foldin the-harvester, Of .course thedrivingconnections for the" reel must be disconneoted, as.. will be understood; by those" familiar; with these. ma.- chines. The braces 8st,, 82 are thenplaced asthas been described, and. the: machine-is. ready for transport from field. to field ower narrow roads,

bridges, through gates;. and the like. stops; 83

tion can easily. be effected by one man, and, be

cause of the dual function counter-balancing springs,. that that one man need not. exert any strenuous physical. force.

Re-locat'ion of the harvester part in cutting position is alsoa simple matter,. and obviously involves nothing more than a, reversal of the steps just described. I

Fromthis disclosure and description, it, is now clear that structure has been provided which effectively-achieves all of the desirable objects heretofore set out for the invention,

It is to be understood that only an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been herein disclosed, and that suchembodiment is susceptible of many changes and modifications; The intentionis to cover all such changes as do not depart from the spirit of the invention as is indicated by the scope of the appended claimsa with respect to the support to obtain additional transport clearance, and means to maintain the port for upwardly swinging movement, and a platform pivotally connected to the free ends of the line levers, whereby the platform may be moved to a position to obtain additional clearance when transporting the harvester thresher.

3. In a harvester thresher, 'a thresher, a harvester support foldingly connected thereto, line levers, means carrying the line levers on the support for upward swinging movement about the axis thereof, and a platform pivotally mounted on the free ends of said line levers by which additional traveling clearence is obtained.

4. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a harvester support foldingly connected thereto, line levers, means carrying the line'levers on the support for upward swinging movement about the axis thereof, a platform pivotally connected to the free ends of said line levers, and means to maintain the platform in substantially horizontal position when the line levers are swung upwardly obtaining additional transport clear- 5. In a'harvester thresher, a thresher, a harvester support hingedly connected thereto for folding from cutting to a traveling clearance position, a platform, means connecting the plat form to the support for movements within its cutting range and to obtain an additional movement for additional traveling clearance, spring means to counter-balance said platform in cutting position, said means also exerting a force to assist movement of the platform to its'additional traveling clearance position.

6. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a harvester platform, means connecting the platform to the thresher to make the same movablefrom cutting position to a position alongside the thresher above its cutting range, and common means comprising a spring structure for counter-balancing the platform in cutting position and for exerting a lifting force to move said platform to the position mentioned to obtain traveling clearance. v

'7. A harvester thresher having a thresher and a platform normally extended into cutting position, said platform including connections with the thresher to enable movement of the same to a horizontal position folded alongside the thresher higher than its cutting range to obtain traveling clearance, and a common means comprising a spring structure for counter-balancing the platform in cutting position and to exert a force to move the platform to such folded position. i r

8. A harvester thresher having a thresher, a platform connected thereto, said platform being movable from horizontal cutting position about two axes to a transport clearance position alongtain the platform substantially horizontal in such .With the wheel located below the platform.

11. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a dead axle hingedly connected to the thresher, means rockable about said axle, line levers supported I on the rockable means, a platform pivotally carried on the line levers, arms carried on the dead axle, and line links substantially parallel with the line levers, said links being connected between the arms and the platform.

12. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a dead axle hingedly connected to the thresher, a sleeve rockable about said axle, line levers supported on the sleeve, a platform pivotally connected to the line levers, a backboard for the platform,

arms carried by the dead axle, and line links substantially parallel withthe levers, said links being pivotally connected to said arms and to said backboard.

13. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a dead axle floatingly and foldingly connected to said thresher, means rockable about said axle, line levers carried by said rockable means, a platform pivotally supported by the levers, arms on the dead axle, upright means at the back of the platform, and line links pivotally connected to the arms and to said upright means.

14. A harvester thresher having a thresher, a platform connected thereto, means connecting said platform to the thresher whereby said. platform is movable backwardly to a folded position alongside the thresher, and means for causing the platform to be moved upwardly simultaneously with its backward movement.

15. A harvester thresher having a thresher, an axle flexibly connected thereto, a platform carried by the axle, connections whereby said axle with the platform is foldable alongside the thresher, and means to cause the platform to be moved to a raised position as the axle is folded.

16. A harvester thresher having a thresher, an axle flexibly connected thereto, a platform carried by the axle, said axle being foldable in a horizontal plane to carry the platform to a position alongside the thresher, and means for automatically elevating the platform with respect to the axle as the same is folded.

17. In a harvester thresher, in combination, a thresher part, a harvester part including a platform, connections intermediate the platform and thresher part whereby a relative movement of said parts in a plurality of angular directions obtaining traveling clearance for the platform may be obtained, and means to maintain the platform substantially horizontally disposed during and at the completion of said movements.

18. In a harvester thresher, in combination, a thresher part, a harvester part including a platform, a double set of flexible connections intermediate the platform and thresher part whereby movement of the platform in two angular directions to obtain clearance may be obtained, and means to maintain the platform in a substantially horizontal position during and at the completion of such movements.

19. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a harvester support, a. platform carried by the 'sup-. port; connecting means between the support and the thresher by which the platform with the support may be swung from cutting position to a,

folded position alongsidethe'thresher for transport clearance, and connections between the platform and support by'which the platformmay be elevated in substantially horizontal position above the support and above its cuttingrangeto obtain additional clearance.

20. A harvester thresher having a thresher part,

' a normally transverse support hingedly connect ed thereto for'horizontal folding movement to a position longitudinally alongside the thresher,

line levers normally substantially horizontally disposed and connected to the support for'foldtially upright elevated position, and a harvester onthe free ends of platform hingedly carried said line levers. I V

.22. In a harvester thresher, a threshen'a harvester support means foldingly connected to the thresher for movement froma normal transverse position to a longitudinal position alongside and parallel with the thresher during transport, platform supporting membersconn'ecteci with the support means, aplatform'pivotally carried'by said supporting members, said platform being movable in a plane within-its cutting range with the support means to the folded position mentioned, means operative to draw the platform upwardly to an elevated position above its .cutting range to obtain additional travel clearance, and means to maintain the platform substantially horizontal.

23. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a harvester support means foldingly connected to the thresher for movement from a normal transverse position toa longitudinal position alongside and parallel with the thresher duringtransport, platform supporting members-connected with the support means, a platform pivotally carried by said supporting members, said platform being I movable in a plane within its cutting rangewith the support means to the folded position mentioned, said platform supporting members being movable upwardly about the axis of the support means to carry the platform to an elevated po- I sition above its cutting range to obtain additional travel clearance, the platform in normal cutting position being counterbalanced by'means line levers in such which is not removed in obtaining the travel clearance movements ofthe platform, and means tov keep the platform substantially horizontal. I

24;. In a harvester thresher, a thresher, a har vester support means foldingly connected tothe thresher for, movement from a normal transverse position to a longitudinal position alongside and parallel with the thresher during transv port, platform supporting members connected with the support means, a platform pivotally carried by said supporting members, said platform being movable in a plane within its cuttingrange with the support means to the folded position mentioned, (a combination grain and caster wheel carrying the support means-said wheel embodying means to fix the wheel againstycastering in the cutting position of the platform andwhich means may be freed to enable the wheel to caster in the folded position of the platform) means to move the platform upwardly to an elevated position above its cutting range to obtain additionaltravel clearance, and, means to keep the platform substantially horizontal.

25,111 a harvester thresher, a thresher, a 'harvester support means foldingly connected tothe thresher for movement from a. normal trans-,

verse position to alongitudinal position alongport, platform supporting members connected with the support means, a, platform pivotally carbeing movable in a plane within its cutting range with the support means to the foldedposition mentioned, (a combination grain and. caster wheel-carrying the support means, said wheel embodying means to fix the wheel against castering in the cutting position of the platform and 7 which means may befreed to enable the Wheel to caster in the folded position of the platform) said platform members being movable upwardly, about the y axis of the support means to carry the platform to an elevated position aboveits side and parallel with the thresher during trans-.

30 tried by said supporting members, said platform cutting range to obtain additional travel clearance, the platform in normal cutting position be- 4 ing counterbalanced by means which is not removed inobtaining the travel clearance movements of the platform, and means to keep the platform substantially horizontal.

26."A' harvester thresher having a thresher, a a platform connected thereto, said platform being movable from horizontal cutting position "about two axes to a transport clearance position alongside the thresher. to locate the sameabove its cutting range, a support for the platform, {(a

combination grain and caster wheel for the support, said wheel embodying release means where; by the wheel may be madeto caster or be restrained against castering as desired,) and means zontal position in its transport position.

to maintain the platform in substantially hori-" EDWARD A. JOHN TON.

CLEMMA R. ,RANEY. LEE 1 )MILLARD. 

